Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Notifications issued to promote eco-friendly means of transportation and decarbonize the transport sector
To promote eco-friendly means of transportation and decarbonize the transport sector, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified mass emission standards to introduce alternate fuels viz. blends of ethanol with gasoline , flex- fuel  or  and Ethanol blend for diesel vehicles , Biodiesel, Bio-CNG, Liquefied Natural Gas , Methanol M15 or M100 and Methanol MD 95 , dual fuel, M85 and Di-Methyl Ether , Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle and Hydrogen CNG.
The steps taken by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways  to adopt electric mobility in the country are as under:-
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- MoRTH has notified GSR 167 dated 01st March 2019 for conversion through retro-fitment to pure electric and hybrid electric vehicles and their compliance shall be as per AIS 123.
- MoRTH, vide S.O. 5333 dated 18th October, 2018, has also granted exemption to the Battery-Operated Transport Vehicles and Transport Vehicles running on Ethanol and Methanol fuels from the requirements of permit.
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- MoRTH vide G.S.R 749 dated 7th August, 2018, has notified the registration mark for Battery Operated Transport Vehicles to be in Yellow colour on Green background and for all other cases, in White colour on Green background.
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- MoRTH vide GSR 525 dated 02nd August, 2021 has exempted Battery Operated Vehicles from the payment of fees for the purpose of issue or renewal of registration certificate and assignment of new registration mark.
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- MoRTH has issued an advisory dated 17th July, 2019 to all States and Union Territories regarding incentivisation of electric vehicles and induction of electric vehicles in shared mobility and public transport operations.
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- MoRTH has issued an advisory dated 12th August, 2020 to all States and UTs regarding sale and registration of Electric Vehicles without batteries.
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- MoRTH has issued an advisory dated 16th June, 2021 to all States and UTs regarding promotion of battery-operated vehicles.
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- MoRTH has issued a draft notification vide GSR 815 , dated 11.11.2022 to issue zero cost All India Tourist Permit for electric vehicles.
The Ministry of Heavy Industries launched the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of  Electric Vehicles in India  Scheme in 2015 with an aim to reduce dependency on fossil fuel and to address issues of vehicular emissions. At present, Phase-II of FAME India Scheme is being implemented for a period of 5 years w.e.f. 01st April, 2019 with a total budgetary support of Rs. 10,000 crores. This phase focuses on supporting electrification of public & shared transportation.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has formulated the Vehicle Scrapping Policy that includes a system of incentives/dis-incentives for creation of an ecosystem to phase out older, unfit polluting vehicles. In order to enforce provisions of the policy, rules have been issued/amended under the framework of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The following notifications have been issued and uploaded on the Ministry's website:
- GSR Notification 653  dated 23.09.2021 provides the Motor Vehicles  Rules, 2021 for establishment of Registered Vehicles Scrapping Facility . The notification has come into force with effect from 25th September, 2021.
- GSR Notification 652  dated 23.09.2021 provides for recognition, regulation and control of Automated Testing Stations. The notification has come into force with effect from 25th September, 2021.
- GSR Notification 714  dated 04.10.2021 provides for upward revision of registration fee, fitness testing fee and fitness certification fee of vehicles. The notification has come into force with effect from 1st April, 2022.
- GSR Notification 720  dated 05.10.2021 provides for concession in the motor vehicle tax for the vehicle registered against submission of "Certificate of deposit". The notification has come into force with effect from 1st April, 2022.
- GSR notification 272 dated 05.04.2022 provides for mandatory fitness of motor vehicles only through an Automated Testing Station, registered in accordance with rule 175 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, as under –
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- For Heavy Goods Vehicles/Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicles with effect from 01st April 2023 onwards, and
- For Medium Goods Vehicles/Medium Passenger Motor Vehicles and Light Motor Vehicles  with effect from 01st June 2024 onwards.
- GSR Notification 695 dated 13.09.2022 provides for amendments in Motor Vehicles  Rules, 2021 earlier published vide GSR 653 dated 23.09.2021.
- GSR notification 797 dated 31.10.2022 provides for amendments in the rules for “recognition, regulation and control of automated testing stations” earlier published vide G.S.R. 652 dated 23.09.2021.
- GSR Notification 29 dt 16.01.2023 provides that Certificate of registration for vehicles owned, by Central, States and UT governments and their Departments, Local government , PSUs and other Autonomous bodies with the Central Government and State Governments, shall not be renewed after the lapse of fifteen years.
GSR Notification 29 dt 16.01.2023 provides that Certificate of registration for vehicles owned, by Central, States and UT governments and their Departments, Local government , PSUs and other Autonomous bodies with the Central Government and State Governments, shall not be renewed after the lapse of fifteen years.
Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, in WP No. 13029/1985  dated 29.10.2018 has directed the Transport Departments of NCR, that all the diesel vehicles more than 10 years’ old and petrol vehicles more than 15 years’ old shall not ply in NCR.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.